This course centers on Homer’s Iliad and its paradigmatic value for military conflict in antiquity and the modern era. The course begins with a close reading of the epic, in particular the dynamic relationship between the narrowly circumscribed subject (“the anger of Achilles”) and the complex narrative that transforms this subject into an evocative and enduring account of war. The remainder of the course considers works in a variety of disciplines (e.g., tragedy, philosophy, psychology) for which the Iliad has provided access to understanding war and its call to remembrance.

Syllabi are available to current LSA students. IMPORTANT: These syllabi are provided to give students a general idea about the courses, as offered by LSA departments and programs in prior academic terms. The syllabi do not necessarily reflect the assignments, sequence of course materials, and/or course expectations that the faculty and departments/programs have for these same courses in the current and/or future terms.